disavowal

UK: /ˌdɪsəˈvaʊəl/ US: (dis′ə vou′əl)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

dis•a•vow•al  (dis′ə vou′əl), n. 

1. a disowning;
   repudiation;
   denial.

• disavow + -al² 1740–50

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

dis•a•vow /ˌdɪsəˈvaʊ/   v. [~ + object]

1. to claim no knowledge of, connection with, or responsibility for:
   The director disavowed any knowledge of my actions.

dis•a•vow•al, n. 

[uncountable] disavowal of any knowledge.

[countable] issuing a disavowal of that position.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

dis•a•vow  (dis′ə vou′), v.t. 

1. to disclaim knowledge of, connection with, or responsibility for;
   disown;
   repudiate:
   He disavowed the remark that had been attributed to him.

• Anglo-French, Old French desavouer. See dis-¹, avow
• Middle English disavouen, desavouen 1350–1400

dis′a•vow′ed•ly, adv. 
dis′a•vow′er, n. 
Synonyms

deny, reject, disclaim.